Churkin awarded South Ossetia's highest order posthumously
MOSCOW. March 14 (Interfax) - South Ossetian Ambassador in Moscow Znaur Gassiyev has presented Irina Churkina, the widow of Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin, with the highest state award of the republic, the Uatsamonga Order, which was bestowed on Churkin posthumously.
"Today, the president of the Republic of South Ossetia entrusted me with a mission to present you with a decree on awarding Churkin Vitaly Ivanovich the Uatsamonga Order posthumously," Gassiyev said during the ceremony in the embassy on Tuesday.
"The name of this wonderful person means everything to us; when the blazing Tskhinval was completely destroyed in 2008, we had one fighter abroad, it was Vitaly Ivanovich, who consistently and absolutely unequivocally defended our interests," the ambassador said.
South Ossetian President Leonid Tibilov has signed a decree awarding Churkin the Uatsamonga Order posthumously for his personal contribution to strengthening the national independence of the Republic of South Ossetia, in recognition of the exceptional merit in promoting justice and equality of all nations and peoples in foreign relations.
Churkin died suddenly in New York on February 20, a day before his 65th birthday.